Blog /What Empowerment Means to Me
By John Woodruff
Empowerment — everybody uses the word. I don’t find many talking about what that word means to them — in their own words.
Let me begin with the dictionary. em-pow-er \ verb : to give official authority or legal power to – em-pow-er-ment \ noun
I ponder moments of my life, from time to time. Preparing to write about empowerment led me to contemplate just when and why did I feel empowered — truly believed in my heart of hearts that I had the official authority and legal power concerning decisions about my life. Had this been given to me? If so, by whom?
I believe I handed over that official authority and legal power to myself, with the assistance of very supportive friends. These friends helped me confront the inaccuracies in some old stories I had always shared about my life.
I have always been a good storyteller. I realized I could no longer fake it by fabricating fictional life-stories. These fabrications let others believe that my life resembled some Hollywood fiction I had crafted. I realized fiction did not hold me in good stead any longer. I had never been open and honest about my need for the support of others.
Seven years ago I went to work re-evaluating the fiction I had crafted. Why did I need a happy ending for each story? How could I share stories honestly, without dwelling on the past, rather focusing on the change that had brought me to be honest? Most importantly I wanted to tell others where I saw myself going. I discovered this was my true reason for being a storyteller.
I remember the first time I shared a newly crafted story with complete honesty. I was on the phone with one of my dearest friends in Maryland. I guess it felt easier to try this out on the phone. The worst that could happen; she would hang up. After checking up about the weather and how things were going, I said, "Remember that story about my brother’s birthday? Well there are a few things I’d like change about that story." My palms were sweaty; my stomach was tight. Yet the re-crafting of that story wasn’t a big deal at all in my friend’s opinion.
I began a fresh method where I am frank about myself and feel confident that I may accept myself just as I am. My newly crafted stories flourish describing a much happier person.
Now I admit I don’t always remember I am the source of my authority and power. I developed a lifelong habit of questioning myself and not feeling that I measure up to some insurmountable standards I set. I add this habit is quite comfortable and often surfaces without my noticing. I mentioned a lack of belief casually in an e-mail to a friend. I am very good at putting myself down through habit. This incredible friend responded, "I have never sensed a ‘lack of belief’ from you; rather a selectivity in what you believe..."
Suddenly my source of authority and power glowed within me again.
Comments
Empowerment and Storytelling:
John has really captured an important topic in my life. The meaning of empowerment is so important. Empowerment is often a word used around me that can be as vague as Recovery itself has been to many. Yet at the heart of discussions on Empowerment and Recovery, "Storytelling" is key to its practicality in everyday life.
I can not agree more with John's approach. Storytelling is a practical means to real empowerment and a clear way to observe if empowerment is happening or if disempowerment is happening. Beneath "stigma", "discrimination", "hopelessness" and many other forms of person and social disempowerment, is the story we are telling about ourselves and each other. These story are seen in the news, in the court rooms, at our family dinner tables and in our own daily lives.
Although, as John states, their can be complete fabrications, their can also be an art to focusing on the elements of our experience that convey a deeper truth. This deeper truth is our message, our intention and can lead to a future that is undetermined yet influenced by the story. This deeper truth or message can be empowering or disempowering. I see how stories have even lead to the ultimate disempowering titles, like Kendra's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendra's_Law). These stories that become published as Laws, leading to the restrictions of one's rights, based on receiving mental health treatment. There is also the emerging use of "history of mental illness" in our news media. Stories can be personally and socially empowering or disempowering. We have choice; we can shape our world. Which choice will you make today.
For me, I have transformed my life choosing the Five Key Concepts of WRAP®, Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self Advocacy and Support as the foundation for the stories I tell in my life. In my past journey, peers of mine have chosen to not tell the story at all of our common challenges and for many years not telling the story was part of my recovery as well, but this left a dangerous void in my life. The key Concepts of WRAP® honestly saved my life from this void and gave me a usable tool to not only tell my story but to do so in a way that has helped me improve my every day life and achieve more.
Thank you Jon for inspiring this discussion.
Hi Matthew, thank you for your blog and thoughts about empowerment. I, too, craft my life story around the Five Key Concepts of WRAP®, Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self Advocacy and Support. As a matter of fact BJ North and I are conducting a WRAP® Facilitator Training this week. The Five Key Concepts were alive in my stories today. The fellow who used to sneak out of his house and wander from street lamp to street lamp- or rather from cone of light, into the darkness and back into the cone of light- no longer exists. I returned home this evening and picked up my cat, Trixie, and sat in my favorite arm chair. Trixie and I proceeded with our nightly ritual. I asked if I had been hopeful today, which indeed I had. I wondered if I had been responsable for myself? YES. What had I learned about myself today? Were there any times when I had to advocate for myself? And most importantly had I connected with my support network? My day was powerful. My story rings true with wellness. Thank you, Matthew. I believe this thread is very important in the discussion of empowerment.
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